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T O P I C R E V I E W

heng44

In August 1991, General Motors Holden (GMH) in Australia released a new car model called the Holden Apollo. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was flown in to be part of the car's launch.

Ed Hengeveld

Henry Heatherbank

... and I can tell you, I remember these TV ads and they were truly cringeworthy!

Mike Dixon

So was the car...

Max Q

I remember the TV comedy show "Australia You're Standing In It" running a series of gags about it and the tenuous link between the name of the car and the use of Buzz. Some of them where actually quite funny.

Philip

Superb Henry... "cringeworthy."

Otherwise a rarely seen ad, maybe Ed could start a series of such ad campaign photos?

Hart Sastrowardoyo

Wonder if Buzz would sign a photo of that? "Oh, wait... you can fit five people in this car... that would mean a completion fee."

MCroft04

OK, where did the suit come from? Pretty good looking mock-up?

Max Q

quote:Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:...that would mean a completion fee.

Sorry but it may be obvious but I have to ask what do you mean by this?

Spaceguy5

Buzz likes charging (a lot) extra for people who want to make multi-signed items.

Hart Sastrowardoyo

It doesn't matter whether you have (say) Collins and Armstrong on an Apollo 11 photo. Even if Aldrin is the first one to sign, you could get Collins and Armstrong on it and thus you would be charged a completion fee for it, rather than a base fee.

Fezman92

I like the one with Leonard Nimoy with the Buick Riviera 63 a bit more.

carmelo

The spacesuit is a mockup?

randy

I'm glad I never saw it!

moorouge

quote:Originally posted by carmelo:The spacesuit is a mockup?

It was most likely a 'display suit' as described here:

The display models consist of two layers – an outer covering the same as that used in the actual suits and an inner rubberised layer. These mock-ups have the outward appearance of a real suit and are made for sale. They cost between £300 and £600. Examples are to be seen at Madame Tussaud’s worn on the effigies of the '11' crew. The full suit has fifteen or more layers, together with a pressure garment worn underneath. These are individually tailored for the astronauts.

The prices quoted are for 1972 when I wrote an article about someone claiming to have one of Aldrin's training suits for sale in the UK.

MCroft04

Thanks Eddie!

golddog

The Apollo was a GM re-badged Toyota Camry. In the ads, Aldrin talked about how he felt when he first "felt the power of Apollo" - implying I guess the car was powerful.

The ads didn't last long in Australia as most people did not have any idea who he was and as indicated above provided much material for comedians.

Having owned the Toyota version for a number of years, it was far from powerful, but in its defense it was certainly a reliable car, very hard to kill!

Max Q

quote:Originally posted by golddog:The ads didn't last long in Australia as most people did not have any idea who he was

I think that people knew who he was but given the national Tall Poppy Syndrome it just ended looking ridiculous.

garymilgrom

quote:Originally posted by Spaceguy5:Buzz likes charging (a lot) extra for people who want to make multi-signed items.

Yes he does, and I love paying these astronaut fees. Others are welcome to their own opinions. But once these men have departed this Earth, how much will you need to fork out for a completion?

Thank goodness we live in a society that gives us the choice.

Apollo Redux

...now you see why Armstrong was chosen to be the first out of the LEM.

Robert Pearlman

Why, because Armstrong sold Chryslers instead of General Motors Holden?